Watson's Daily

Monday 10/06/19

In INDUSTRY NEWS, Big Tech could be about to get a tax surprise and UK high street visits hit new lows. In NEWS ON CARS, makers continue to target China and we see the knock-on effects of our shrinking car…

Friday 07/06/19

In RETAIL NEWS, UK retail jobs fall, Monsoon delays its CVA but Joules and Loungers buck the gloom while Auto Trader cruises in the fast lane. In TECH NEWS, Amazon drones on and Google Stadia gets a sceptical reception. In…

Thursday 06/06/19

In CAR NEWS, Fiat Chrysler pulls the merger with Renault, JLR and BMW team up on EVs, Ford announces the closure of its Bridgend plant and UK new car sales continue to weaken. In RETAIL NEWS, Arcadia is forced to…

Wednesday 05/06/19

In MACRO NEWS, talk of US rate cuts cheers markets while Australia actually cuts them. In NEIL WOODFORD NEWS, the star fund manager gets a pasting for poor performance and banning redemptions. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Salesforce announces a positive…

Tuesday 04/06/19

In MACRO NEWS, we look at a UK/Trump trade deal, why the oil price is weakening & disappointing UK retail sales. In NEW DEVELOPMENTS, top banks make their own digital coins, new regulations are to cover flying taxis and ecommerce…

Monday 03/06/19

In TRADE WARS & BREXIT NEWS, China and Mexico continue US negotiation efforts while global airlines, Huawei and FedEx get caught in the crossfire and Brexit dents manufacturers. In RETAIL NEWS, we see the case for US retailer weakness as…

Friday 31/05/19

In TECH NEWS, Dell's revenue growth slows, Huawei cuts out US employees and EE launches 5G in the UK. In RETAIL NEWS, Costco's sales rise, Gap suffers and Majestic looks more likely to sell all of its stores. In TRANSPORT-RELATED…

Thursday 30/05/19

In TECH NEWS, Huawei warns its ban will hit US suppliers, China increases uptake of its own chips while Nokia and Ericsson fight over replacing Huawei as suppliers. In RETAIL/HIGH STREET NEWS, Abercrombie & Fitch sales disappoint, Aldi and Lidl…

Wednesday 29/05/19

In CONSUMER/HIGH STREET-RELATED NEWS, UK mortgage approvals hit new highs, higher costs get passed on to shoppers, Gordon Ramsay bucks the gloomy restaurant trend and Boots announces closures. In FINANCE-RELATED NEWS, Global Payments buys TSYS for $21.5bn and Aviva announces…

Tuesday 28/05/19

In MACRO, MARKETS AND CRYPTO NEWS, we see the impact of the European elections, market relief as populists falter and Bitcoin's comeback. In CAR-RELATED NEWS, Fiat Chrysler proposes a merger with Renault, insurance costs rise as complex cars raise repair…

Friday 24/05/19

In MARKETS & POLITICS NEWS, trade war fears give investors the jitters and May looks "Mexit" in the face. In LEISURE-RELATED NEWS, Mitchells & Butler toasts solid profits, Hollywood Bowl eyes crazy golf expansion, Thomas Cook gets an offer and…

Thursday 23/05/19

In TECH NEWS, Huawei's headaches get worse, Hikvision looks like it might get the Huawei treatment and Qualcomm gets a big slap. In CONSUMER, RETAIL AND COSMETICS NEWS, Lowe's has a profit warning, UK inflation goes up, M&S and Arcadia's…

Wednesday 22/05/19

In RETAIL & UK HIGH STREET NEWS, US retailers brace themselves for tariff fallout, Home Depot posts solid results, Urban Outfitters looks at clothing rentals, Sephora ramps up openings and we look at Jamie Oliver's restaurant collapse and Halfords' woes.…

Tuesday 21/05/19

In TECH NEWS, Huawei gets an Android-shaped kick in the teeth. In CAR NEWS, Ford details job cuts, JLR unveils a record loss and Tesla's shares hit new lows. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Ryanair suffers Brexit blues while Goldman buys…

Monday 20/05/19

In UK REAL ESTATE NEWS, London office construction and regional house prices buck Brexit gloom. In HIGH STREET NEWS, Arcadia looks at closing overseas stores and Mike Ashley continues his Debenhams fight while Thomas Cook's woes continue. In MEAT NEWS,…

Friday 17/05/19

In RETAIL/HIGH STREET NEWS, Walmart continues its winning streak, Waitrose outlines online ambitions post-Ocado, Pret closes in on Eat and Thomas Cook has a Brexit shocker. In FINANCIALS-RELATED NEWS, Investec shuts its robo-advice business, Metro Bank's fundraising goes well and…

Thursday 16/05/19

In MACRO AND TARIFF NEWS, the US economy slows while Germany's picks up and Trump postpones car tariffs. In TECH-RELATED NEWS, Alibaba and Tencent smash it and an Uber rival tests flying taxis. In RETAIL-RELATED NEWS, John Lewis ditches final…

Wednesday 15/05/19

In MACRO & CRYPTO NEWS, UK sees record employment and Bitcoin breaks $8,000. In CAR-RELATED NEWS, India's weaker car sales prompt concerns, Nissan has a shocker and Volvo Cars signs a battery deal. In RETAIL-RELATED NEWS, Walmart offers next-day shipping,…

Tuesday 14/05/19

In MACRO & CRYPTO NEWS, the US-China trade talks hit stocks, world economies slow and Bitcoin powers up. In CAR-RELATED NEWS, Uber has a rough time while Honda and Ford confirm UK job losses. In FOOD AND DRINK NEWS, Impossible…

Monday 13/05/19

In POLITICAL AND EMPLOYMENT NEWS, Trump-Xi talks continue - as does the current UK jobs boom. In CAR-RELATED NEWS, we look at Uber and Lyft's woes as VW heads for a problematic AGM. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Metro Bank tries…

Friday 10/05/19

In RETAIL NEWS, Superdry starts with a warning, Morrisons tries to get closer to Amazon, Debenhams goes ahead with the CVA and Hamleys gets a new owner. In FINANCIALS NEWS, HSBC and Standard Chartered get tech competition and Metro Bank…

Thursday 09/05/19

In FINANCIALS NEWS, JP Morgan takes control of a Chinese fund, Germany's Wirecard looks optimistic, Revolut is to be investigated and Bitcoin's security is breached. In UK HIGH STREET NEWS, the Debenhams sale process is looking tricky, Mike Ashley reveals…

Wednesday 08/05/19

In MACRO, MARKETS AND COMMODITIES NEWS, markets get nervy on trade talks, China continues to engage, iron ore prices are set for new highs, battery metal prices rise and UK consumer spending increases. In CAR NEWS, UK new car sales…

Tuesday 07/05/19

In MACRO AND OIL NEWS, Trump stirs things up with China and oil prices rise. In FOOD-RELATED NEWS, Tyson Foods warns about African swine fever and Kraft-Heinz uncooks its books. In TRANSPORT APP NEWS, Lyft faces a pasting while Trainline…

Friday 03/05/19

In SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS, Facebook goes crypto and Verizon looks to offload Tumblr. In MONEY-RAISING NEWS, Beyond Meat's IPO flies, Slack edges closer to flotation and Tesla asks for money AGAIN. In MANUFACTURING NEWS, Bombardier has bad news for Belfast…

Thursday 02/05/19

In MACROECONOMIC NEWS, the US keeps rates on hold, UK factory orders fall and the housing market remains subdued. In TECH NEWS, Apple nudges above $1tn again and Hulu closes in on Netflix. In RETAIL NEWS, Sainsbury's dusts itself down…

Wednesday 01/05/19

In MACROECONOMIC NEWS, the Eurozone economy surprises on the upside. In FAANG NEWS, Apple disappoints and delights while Facebook has a revamp. In BURGER NEWS, McDonald's unveils a strong performance while Beyond Meat aims for a juicier IPO. In TRANSPORT-RELATED…

Tuesday 30/04/19

In TECH NEWS, Samsung and Google disappoint while Spotify hits 100m paying subscribers. In LEISURE/RETAIL NEWS, Marriott takes on Airbnb and Airbnb takes on hotels while UK shopping centre investment sinks to 16-year lows. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Andarko moves…

Monday 29/04/19

In AIRLINE NEWS, we see how the industry is being affected by oil, the Boeing 737 Max groundings and Boeing's new admission. In OTHER INDUSTRY NEWS, US meat companies gain from China's hog cull and the music industry seeks more…

Friday 26/04/19

In FINANCIALS NEWS, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank merger talks collapse, UBS has a shocker and Nomura announces its first full-year loss in ten years. In RETAIL NEWS, Sainsbury's/Asda gets blocked, new fraud rules threaten online retailers, Amazon's growth slows and…

Thursday 25/04/19

In NEWS ON CARS, both Tesla and Nissan disappoint. In RETAIL NEWS, Boohoo and Primark do not. In M&A NEWS, the US shale boom triggers a bidding war and the Deutsche Bank/Commerz thing looks far from being a done deal.…

Wednesday 24/04/19

In ONLINE/STREAMING NEWS, Twitter, Snapchat and eBay put in strong performances while Amazon Prime's momentum slows. In IPO/M&A NEWS, Starbuck's China nemesis Luckin Coffee plans a US flotation, UBS and Deutsche Bank asset management talk about merging while bid rumours…

Tuesday 23/04/19

In COMMODITY NEWS, Oil rises on the expiry of Iran waivers and the US approaches a UK firm to supply rare metals. In TECH NEWS, Huawei defies US pressure with rising revenues, Samsung's Fold hits a hitch and TikTok gets…

Friday 12/04/19

In STREAMING NEWS, Disney prices up its new streaming service and cord-cutting savings narrow. In RETAIL NEWS, Primark dip its toes into online retailing, Ted Baker and Arcadia have a shake-up while WH Smith enjoys big rent reductions. In INDIVIDUAL…

Thursday 11/04/19

In MACRO NEWS, Brexit gets a Halloween extension and the UK economy grows due to stockpiling. In UK RETAILER NEWS, Tesco and Dunelm shine, Asos profits fall off a cliff, Arcadia gets a lump of Topshop returned and Ted Baker…

Wednesday 10/04/19

In FINANCIALS NEWS, Nationwide makes history with new mortgages while SocGen and Barclays announce job cuts. In HIGH STREET NEWS, more shops shut down and Debenhams faces a tricky future. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Boeing gets zero orders last month…

Tuesday 09/04/19

In MACRO AND COMMODITIES NEWS, concerns increase about a global recession, the US aims tariffs at the EU, oil prices rise on Libyan unrest and pork prices also look set to increase. In UK CONSUMER/RETAIL NEWS, shoppers shy away from…

Monday 08/04/19

In REGULATION-RELATED NEWS, tech firms are to come under more scrutiny and Fiat teams up with Tesla on emissions. In MONEY-RAISING NEWS, Pinterest sweetens the deal of a dual-structure and Monzo gets a boost. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Sports Direct…

Friday 05/04/19

In MACRO NEWS, China's stimulus appears to be gaining traction, Trump is upbeat but a Xi meeting date isn't decided while German factory orders disappoint - as does Italy's economy. In CONSUMER SPENDING TRENDS, UK car sales slow, car insurance…

Thursday 04/04/19

In MACRO NEWS, it looks like the US and China are nearing a deal, May and Corbyn start talks and the UK services sector takes a beating. In TOBACCO NEWS, China Tobacco looks outside its domestic market while US cigarette…

Wednesday 03/04/19

In BREXIT AND CRYPTOCURRENCY NEWS, we have a look at the latest in the Brexit saga and why Bitcoin had a bit of a pop. In NEWS ON RETAIL AND CONSUMER TRENDS, US shopping centre vacancies are up, Burger King…

Tuesday 02/04/19

In MACRO AND MARKETS NEWS, German manufacturing weakens, British manufacturing strengthens and global markets rally on better news from US and Chinese manufacturing. In IPO-RELATED NEWS, Lyft falls on its second day and Slack considers a direct IPO on the…

Monday 01/04/19

In MACRO NEWS, Brexit rumbles on, the UK living wage increases and China's factories crank up. In RETAIL NEWS, business rates come under attack, new rules on FOBTs put bookies under threat and Superdry faces a crunch vote. In INDIVIDUAL…

Friday 29/03/19

In TECH/SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS, Huawei posts strong results but is slammed by a UK intelligence panel and Grindr is forcibly sold. In CAR-RELATED NEWS, there's consolidation among German autoparts makers and Lyft sets a high price. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS,…

Thursday 28/03/19

In MACRO NEWS, the latest votes throw up no Brexit deal alternatives and Turkey hits big turbulence. In CAR NEWS, UK output drops sharply, Renault cosies up to Nissan, Ford leaves Russia and BMW expresses interest in Honda's site in…

Wednesday 27/03/19

In M&A AND IPO NEWS, Uber buys Careem, Geely aims for Smart, Uber's ex chief buys into 'dark kitchens', River Island takes control of Mint Velvet and Lyft eyes a chunky valuation. In TECH NEWS, Samsung has a profit warning…

Tuesday 26/03/19

In MACRO NEWS, Brexit takes another turn and German manufacturing hits turbulence. In TECH NEWS, Apple unveils new services, Nintendo announces new Switch consoles, Inmarsat goes private and Naspers seeks a separate listing for its massive Tencent stake. In HIGH…

Monday 25/03/19

In MACRO NEWS, we look at the latest options for May/Brexit. In INDUSTRY NEWS, UK bookies continue to look to the US and vape companies get nervous. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Uber closes in on a deal with Careem and…

Friday 22/03/19

In MACRO NEWS, Brexit gets a tight window and the Bank of England leave interest rates unchanged. In HIGH STREET NEWS, Ted Baker and Next stumble, The Entertainer gains on parental fear as a number of Giraffe and Ed's Easy…

Thursday 21/03/19

In MACRO NEWS, the Fed keeps US interest rates unchanged, May gets push-back from the EU, UK inflation rises, Spain shows solid growth and Nigeria pledges to sell down oil assets to finance its budget. In CAR NEWS, BMW has…

Wednesday 20/03/19

In MACRO NEWS, US-China trade talks take another step and UK unemployment reaches record lows. In RETAIL NEWS, ASOS has US troubles, Ocado says its fire was a one-off, Superdry's Dunkerton gets a knock-back and Office Outlet (used to be…

Tuesday 19/03/19

In POLITICAL NEWS, May hits a Bercow-shaped roadblock for Brexit. In RIDE-HAILING NEWS, Lyft targets a chunky IPO and Gett wants to get on the bandwagon. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Worldpay goes to a US rival for $43bn, Marriott pledges…

Monday 18/03/19

In RETAIL NEWS, US retailers profits get downgraded and own brands take on the big names. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Commerzbank and Deutsche Bank get the official blessing to engage in merger talks, Interserve proves to be a mess and…

Friday 15/03/19

In MACRO NEWS, Parliament votes for a Brexit delay. In HIGH STREET NEWS, Superdry's former boss launches a new attack, Cineworld benefits from Regal, Savills flags a slowdown and it's sofa so good for DFS. In CAR-RELATED NEWS, Uber's self-driving…